Hitch device



Oct. 17, 1939. T. BROWN ET AL. 2,176,326

HITCH DEVICE Filed Jan. s, 195s 2 snetsuneem Eff-5 Wi-5 fw-5 A TTORNEY6' Oct. 17, 1939. I T. BROWN 'r AL .2,176,326

n BITCH DEVICE Filed Jari. 3, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Oei. 1.7,1939 PATENT; "OFFICE y Y amaze meenam Brown and 'reihen w. nel, Inline.

IILJSaiznorstoDeerekCompannHoline, acorporatlonoflliinais n ApplicationJanuary 8, i938, No. 188.001

15 (nains. (Cl. 28h-33.44)

The present invention relates generallyto im- .`proved hitch devices fordetachably connecting implements to ay tractor, and more particularly tomeans -for detachably connecting auch implementa to the rear axlehousing of a tractorf4 Ever since the advent of tractor mountedimplements for use on farms and in other situations the manufacturers ofsuch implements have been confronted with the problem of providingsuitable hitch devices between the implements theseveral parts lof thetractor towhich the imsiderable eii'ort in raising them and holding theminthe proper positron while the connecting belts were inserted and thenuts tightened up on auch bolts'. Various types of hitch devices havebeen proposed for facilitating the connection of implements to the rearaxle housings of a tractor. but so far asv we are aware such deviceshave not proved entirely satisfactory either because too much time hadto be devoted to making the connections except under the most favorablecon' ditions, or because they were of such a nature that they increasedthe cost of manufacture of the tractor to an undesirable extent.

With the above in view it is the principal object of the presentinvention to provide improved vmeans for connecting an implement to therear axle housing of a tractor whereby the implement may be quicklyattached to the tractor with a minimum expenditure of labor on the partof the operator, .and which will not increase the cost of manufacture ofthe tractor to any great extent. To this end we provide the rear axlehousing at each side of the tractor' with a pair of spaced bosses -castintegral therewith and having 1 ilat outer surfaces lying in the samevertical plane, with stud bolts permanently secured therein andextending outwardly from such fiat sur faces and cap nuts threaded onthe outer ends of such bolts, in connection with adapter plates orsupporting brackets carried by the implement and provided with meanswhereby such brackets may be slipped over such studs without com- 55pletely removing the cap nuts therefrom and may thereafter be securaiyclamped to said bosses by drawing up the cap nuts on said studs. l

l further objectief the invention is to provide an attaching plate orbracket of this type with bearing means for supporting the draft beam of5 a cultivatingv unit, comprising separable bearing members and latchmeans for locking said bearing members in closed position around saiddraft Other objects and advantageous features oi i0 the inventionwillbe'apparent from the following 'description of the preferredembodiment of our invention taken in connection with the accomilnyina'drawings, in which:

l'igure 1 i; a rear elevational view of a por- 15 tion of 'the' rearaxle housing at one sidey of a tractor with a pair of adapter platesthat support the draft beam of a cultivating unit provided with avhhndlift secured in position on such axle housing, in accordance with theprinciples of the 20 present invention:

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially onthe-plane of the line 2 2 of Figure l andtshowing the meang'for holdingthe supporting bracket for the hand lift lever against 26 verticalmovement relative to the boss of the rear axle housing on whichy it ismounted;

l'iguxe is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on `theplane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and showing the manner of connectiesso thsadapter plate or draft beam bearing bracket direetlyto the boss`of' the rear axle housing;

Figure tis an enlarged vertical cross-sectional vieil takensubstantially on the plane oi the line 4--4 of Figure l and` showingmore in detail the -35 separable bearing meer .0f the adapter plate orbearing bracket for the draft beam of the cultivating unit and the latchmeans by which such separable bearing means are locked in position tohold the draft beam in position; 40

!l'igure 5 is a rear elevational view of a modied farm of adapter platethat extends across between and is adapted to be clamped to the studs onthe bosses Provided at opposite sides of the axlehousing; 45

Figure 6 shows still another modification in which only one stud isprovided on the rear axle housing and used for connecting an adapterbracket of a hitch device to the rear axle housins; and

Figure 7 is a rear view of a tractor showing a cultivating attachmenthaving a hand operated lifting mechanism secured to the rear axlehousing .of the tractor by adapter plates in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention. i5

2, 3 and 7, the rear axle housing of the tractor T is indicated by 8,and such housing has cast i integral therewith a pair of bosses 9 spacedlongitudinally therealong and extending outwardly rearwardly from themain body portion of the casting. The bosses 9 are provided withsubstantially vertically extending flat outer faces that lie in the sametransverse plane relative to the tractor, so that the cultivator draftbeam or other tool supporting means connected to the rear axle housingby the adapter plates or brackets to be hereinafter described will liein a plane substan` tially at right angles to the line of draft of thetractor, as is customary in tractor mounted cultivators. Each of thebosses 9 is tapped adjacent its upper and lower ends to provide threadedrecesses therein (Figures 2 and 3) for receiving upper and`lower studbolts I0 that are provided on their outer ends with hexagonal or othersuitably shaped cap nuts II, and the tractors are adapted to be shippedfrom the factory with such studs and cap nuts in position on the rearaxle housing.

'Ihe implements that are adapted to be mountled on the rear axle housingof the tractor are provided with suitable adapter plates or supportingbrackets having apertures or slots therein formed so that said bracketscan be slipped over the studs Ill by loosening the cap nuts II but notcompletely removing them from the studs, whereby the weight of theimplement part is supported by the studs while the cap nuts are beingdrawn up, thus relieving the operator of the lar of supporting the partwhile the nuts are being tightened. In Figures 1 and 7 we have shown thehitch means that are employed for connecting the'draft beam of acultivating unit on the tractor when the cultlvator rigs carried by auchbeam are adapted to be raised and lowered by a hand lever or similarmeans, and such me includes a supporting bracket I2 in the form of anangle member having anges I3 and I4 extending at right angles to eachother and adap to be clamped to the rear axle housing by the Y studs IBand cap nuts II on the left hand boss l shown in Figure 1. For thispurpose the ange II oi' the bracket I2 is provided about midway ol itslength with a vertically extending keyhole slot I8 having a lowercircular portion I1 of sumciently large diameter that will permit thecap nut I I on the upper stud I0 to pass through such portion. as shownin full lines in Figure 1, and an upper generally rectangular shapedportion II voi' reduced width communicating with and extending upwardlyfrom the portion I'I to receive the shank of the stud I0, as shown indotted lines in said figure. While in the present application thekeyhole slots have been illustrated and described as arranged onvertical axes, this is not essential as such slots may be arranged onaxes extending at an angle to the vertical, as will be readilyappreciated. The iiange I3 of. the bracket I2 is provided at its lowerend with an open ended vertically extending slot I9, as shown in dottedlines in Figure 1, that is adapted to llt over the lower stud I0 behindits cap nut II.

' It will be seen from the above that in order to install the supportingbracket I2 on the rear axle housing it is only necessary to unscrew thecap nuts II on the studs' I0 to move them away from the boss a sufcientdistance to permit the bracket to be inserted' between such cap nuts andthe boss, and then the bracket can be slipped over the cap nut II on theupper stud I0 and dropped down into place on the upper and lower Vstudsinto the position shown in Figure 1, after which the cap nuts I I aredrawn up on the studs Il to clamp the bracket securely in place againstthe face of the boss I.

In order to prevent the supporting bracket I2 from vbeing loosened by anupthrust, ak small tongue or detent 20 (Figure 2) is provided on thefront face of the ange i3 of the supporting bracket I2 between the slotsI6 and I8, such tongue engaging in a notch 2I in the 8 when the bracketis clamped in position on the 'I'he tongue 20 is preferably formed inthe bracket I2 by a stamping operation, and the notch 2l is preferablyformed in the boss 9 during the casting operation, but it is to beunderstood that the tongue and notch or their equivalent may formed inany other suitable mannenas desired. As shown, the boss 9 at theright'hand. side of Figure 1 is also provided with a. similar notch 2|,the purpose of which will be pointedout later herein.

As shown in Figure 7. there is a bracket I2 se# cured, as just describedto the rear axle housing I at each side thereo and each bracket I2 isprovided at its upper end with an in formed bearing recess 22 to furnisha support ior'the bearing portion 23 oi a 'am operated rock shaft 2tprovided for lifting the rigs of the cultivator attachment when suchattachment is I adapted for use with a hand lift rather power litt.

The cultivator rigs R, shown in Figure 7, or other plement s or is, areadapted to be supported in any suitable manner on a transverselyvextending beam or draft bar in the form of a cylindrical member or pipeas indicated by the reference nvm 2t, and such draft bar is detachablysupported as hereinafter described in a vpair of bearing members oradapter brackets that are indicated as an entirety by the referencenumerals 26 and 2l,'respectively. .As shown in Figure 7, each oi' therigs R is suitably connected by a chain 'Il or other .suitable meanswith an arm 1l nxed' to the rock shaft 24 whereby by rocking said'rockshaft the rigs may be raised and lowered. The rock shaft 24 is rocked bymeans of a hand lever 12 xed to said shaft and provided with the usualdetent means I3 for engaging in a notched sector 'Il whereby said rockshaft may be held in any of several adjusted positions. In theillustrated construction, in which provision is madejfor supporting ahand operated lifting lever on the hitch device, the inner bearingbracket 26 vshown at the left hand side of Figure 1 is adapted to besecuredto the rearwardly extending llange Il of the supporting bracketI2 by a single connecting bolt 28 extending `through openings providedtherefor i'n the bearingbracket and the flange of the supporting bracketand secured in position by a nut 28a threaded on said bolt. The bearingmember when secured to the flange Il ofthe supporting bracket I2 by thebolt 28 is prevented from swinging on the bolt by a pin 29 or otherpart, which may be in the form ofa stud cast integral with the bracket26, thatvis inserted into a hole 30 in the rearwardly extending flangeI4 of the bracket I2. If desired, however, the pin 28 may be in the formof a separate member and inserted through a perforated boss formed insaid bearing bracket. The bearing bracket 26 is also provided with meanswhereby it may be connected directly to the boss 9 by the stud bolts I0in some installations, and the bearing bracket 21 is shown as connecteddirectly to the right hand boss l by the studs I thereof, and thev meansfor so connecting both of the brackets 2U and 21 directly to the bosseswill now be described.

As shown, the bearing brackets 26 and 21 are each provided with a pairof upper and lower lugs 3| and 32, respectively. The upper lug 3l isprovided vwith a horizontally disposed slot 32 whereby said lug may beslid over the upper stud I0 between the boss 9 and the nut Il on saidstud by merely backing up the nut suiliciently to permit the insertionof the lug between the nut and the boss, and the lower lug 32 isprovided with an upwardly extending slot 24 whereby said lug may be slidover the lower stud I 0 in a similar manner, after which the nuts Ii onthe studs are drawn up to securely clamp the bearing member to the rearaxle housing. At the right hand of Figure' 1 the bearing bracket 21 isshown as connected in this manner. With this construction of bearingbracket having both the horizontally and the vertically extending slotsthe bracket is held against'both vertical and horizontal movementrelative to the rear axle housing without the necessity of providing atongue or detent in' the bracket for engaging in a notch in the boss aswas necessary in the construction and mounting of the supporting bracketI2 lon the rear axle housing as before described.

As shown in Figure 3, the inside surface of each nut I I is relievedadjacent one end as at II' to provide clearance to accommodate theunthreaded bracket supporting portion I9' of the stud when the bracketis removed, to permit the nuts II to be tightened against thebossltwhenl the bracket is not in use.

It may be explained at this point -that each cultivator attachment 'forthe right hand axle housing of the tractor is provided at the factorywith a pair of bearing brackets25'and 21 having lugs II Yv` and I2extending tothe right andl also with a supporting bracket I2 with therearwardly extending ilange at the right hand side thereof, as shown inFigure l, and that each cultivator attachment for the left'hand axlehousing of the tractor is provided with a pair, of bearing brackets 2land 21 having lugs. and I2 extending to the left, and asupporting'bracket I2 with the rearwardly extending flange at the lefthand side thereof is also provided. Now, if the hand operated rock shafty24 is not needed, as is the case where the attachment is to beused on atractor provided with a power lift, thesupporting brackets I2 can bedispensed with and all four of the bearing brackets secured directly tothe rear axle housing, i. e., one pair of brackets 28 and 21 beingsecured tothe axle housing at one side of the tractor and the other pairof brackets 26' and 21 being secured to the axle housing at the otherside of the tractor, as shown in Figure '1. In such case it is onlynecessary for the operator to unbolt the supporting brackets I2 from thebearing brackets 28, and then such bearing brackets can be mounteddirectly upon the inner studs Il'in the same manner as the bearingbrackets 21 on the outer studs III, as has just been described above. Insuch an installation, however, it is necessary to interchange thebearing member 2B with the lugs 3| and 32 extending to the right, asshown in Figure 1, with the corresponding inner bearing on the otherside of the tractor having the lugs 3l and 32 extending to the left, inorder that the bearing member may occupy the same position relative tothe inner studs In that it does when it is bolted to the angle bracketI2, as will be readily appreciated.

The bearing bracket 21 is shown in detail in side elevation in Figure 4,and as there shown it is provided with a downwardly and rearwardlycurved lower bearing portion having a semicylindrical bearing recess 36formed in its upper portion for receiving the lower portion oi thecylindrical draft beam 25. Hingedly connected, as by a pivot pin 31, tothe rear outer end portion of the lower bearing section 35 is acomplementary upper bearing member 28 that is provided with asemi-cylindrical bearing recess 88. Means is provided for locking theupper bearing member 38 in pomtion over the lower bearing member 35, andsuch means comprises a locking member or latch 40 that is pivotallysupported intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 4i that is supported atits opposite ends in flanges 42 and 4I formed integral with andextending outwardly laterally from the lower portion 35 of the bracket21 as best shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figure the latch member 4Icomprises an upper or forward arm member 45 and a lower or rearwardlyextending arm member 4l. The upper arm member `45 is formed at vitsouter end to provide a hook portion 41 that is adapted to engage over ashoulder or lug 48 formed on the'outer end of the upper bearing member38 when' said member is swung down into position over the lower bearingmember 35 of the bracket, as shown in full lines in Figure 4. Means isprovided for yieldingly `holding the latch 4l in position with the hook41 thereof in engagement over the lug 48, and such means comprises acoiled compression spring 5I that extends between a lug il formedintegral with the arm 4l of the latch and a lug 52 formed integral withan outwardly extending ilange 52 of the lower bearing portion 35 of thebracket, as shown in Figure 4. Thus, when said upper member 38 is swungon its pivot I1 into position above the member 35 of the bracket and thelatch 40 engaged, the bearing portion 32 Will embrace the top portion ofthe cuitivator beam, 25 and hold it in position in the lower bearingmember 25.

When it is desired to 'unit to the rear axle h the means abovedescribed, each' of the supporting members or brackets 25 and 21 arenrst removed from the cultivator unit and then secured to the studs Ilin the manner described. Next, the upper bearing members Il are unlockedby pushing upwardly on the outer ends oi the arms 4l of the latches tomove the latche's against the action of the springs 54 into the positionshown in dotted lines in Figure 4, and the upper bearing members Il ofbrackets 28 and 21 are then swung from the full line position to thedotted line position shown in Figure 4. Then the cultivator draft beamwith the rigs attached thereto is set into the bearing recesses J5 ofthe brackets 25 and 21 and the upper bearing members 38 are again .swungdown into the full line position shown in Figure 4. In such movement thecurved end 45a of the lug 45 riding on the rear face 51a connect thecultivating ng of the tractor by oi the upper latch arm 45 will swingthe latch While we have described above an arrangement making use of apair of adapter plates or brackets that can be quickly and easilyconnected to and disconnected from studs vprovided on the rear axlehousing oi.' a tractor whereby a cultivating unit may be quickly andeasily connected to and disconnected from suchhousing, lit will beapparent that the principles of the present invention are equallyapplicable to means ior mounting various other implements provided withother forms of adapter'plates on the tractor rear axle housing, wherebysuch implements can be quickly and easily connectedl to'and disconnectedfrom the rear axle housing with a minimum of eil'ort, and, therefore, wehave shown in the accompanying drawings several vmodiilcstions of ourinvention. l1

In Figure 5 we have illustrated a single adapter plate or bracket 5Sfor,v supporting the standard Ii oi a lcomparatively heavy-implement,such `as one bottom of a two-way plow or the like, such adapter platebeingv oisuch length that it extends outwardly beyond the'fftwo sets oi'studs- I0 as shown whereby 'use is made oi all four of the studs on therear axle housing for connecting the plow to the housing. .In thisconstruction the adapter plate or bracket li is provided with a keyholeslot 51 in its upper portion adjacent each end thereof, said slots`being similar to the keyhole slot Il in"v the supporting bracket i2.Buch keyhole slots 61 are adapted to cooperate with the upper studs ilon the rear axle housing, and a second pair 'oi' keyhole-slots 5lpositioned below the keyhole slotsv 51 are adapted to cooperate with thelower studs i0 on the axle housing.

In this constructionof .adapter plate a pair of tongues or detenta 59provided on the plate and adapted to engage in the recesses 2| in thebossesA D oi' the housing act to hold the plate against verticalmovement. While in Figure 5 the keyhole slots 51, 58 are illustrated asarranged on vertical axes, this'is not'essential as such slots may bearranged on axes extending at an angle to the vertical, as will bereadily appreciated.

In' Figure 6 we have shown a construction wherein the principles of ourinvention are embodied in a tractor having but one stud at each positionon the rear axle housing, which construction may well be used forconnecting light weight implements to a tractor. struction we haveshownthe supporting bracket l2 as provided with a keyhole slot il i'orcooperating with the single stud on the boss la of the rear axlehousing; 8, whereby the bracket may be slipped over the cap nut I i onthe stud. slid down between the boss and the nut and then clampedinto'position by tightening the nut on the stud. With sucha 4 t:ofnstlruction of adapter plate, however, it is' necessary .not only toprovide against upthrust on the plate but also to provide for preventingturning of the plate on the stud, and for that purpose `a tongue Maisprovided on the plate for engaging in a notch 6J formed in the lowerportion ot the boss la. As shown,

In this conthe notch 83 does not extend entirely across the boss as dothe notches 2| provided in the bosses 9 in the other constructionsdescribed above, but rather is recessed into the boss So as to provideshoulders 64 and 65 on either side oi.' the notch 63 that engage theopposite sides of the tongue to restrain the supporting member oradapter plate I2 against pivotal movement labout the stud I0.

While in the construction shown in Figure .1, it is necessary todetachthe parts l2, 28 and 21 from the cultivator unit before attaching thelatter to the tractor, in the constructions shown in Figures 5 and 6,the attaching brackets may be left on the implement and the latterattached to the tractor by slipping the brackets over the studsIliwithout removing the nuts, andsupporting the weight of the implement,or at least the weight of the forward portion of it, on the studs whilethe nuts I I are being tightened.

We claim:

l. 'Ihe combination of a supporting member having a stud extendingtherefrom in ilxed posi.. tion thereon, an implement supporting brackethaving an opening therein to receivesaid stud so that the lattersupports said bracket and the associated implement part against downwardmovement, means on said stud ior securing said bracket to saidsupporting member, and means acting between the bracket and thesupporting member for preventing upward movement of the bracket withrespect to the supporting member.

2. Ihe combination with a tractor .including a rear -axlehonsing havinga pair'of vertically spaced studs extending outwardly therefrom withnuts threaded on the outer ends of -salti studs,

of means for detachably vconnecting an implement to said housingcomprising `abracket hav-- whereby said lugs may be slippedoverjsaidstuds betweensaid housing and said nuts-into a posiv.tii'rn tosupport the bracket on said Studs, and ,means for connecting the.bracket to the'implement; v

l '3. The combination with a tractor including" 'axrea'r' axle housinghaving a stud extending outwardlytherefrom in ilxed positionthereon'fwith a nutthreaded on the outer end of said-stud, oi

means for detaehably connecting an implement to .said :housingcomprising a bracket carried by said implement and having a slot formedtherein whereby said bracket may be mounted on and supported by saidstud, andv a tongue on said be mounted on said studs in a position tosupport the bracket means on the studs, means on said bracketmeanscooperating with means on saidhouslngffor restraining said bracket meansagainst vertical movement relative to the housmg,.and means 'forconnecting the implementmeans to said bracket means.

5. The combination with a tractor including a rearv axle housing havinga pair 0I vertically 75 n avesse spaced studs extending outwardlytherefrom in i'ixed position thereon with nuts threaded onthe' outerends of said studs. oi' means for detachably connecting an implement tosaid housing comprising a bracket having a pair of vertically i spacedlugs extending' laterally from one side -wardly therefrom in xedposition thereon with a -nut threaded on the outer end of said stud, of

meansfor detachably connecting an implement to said housing comprising abracket carried by said implement and having a keyhole slot formedtherein whereby said bracket may be slipped over the nut into positionon said stud between said housing and said nut, and means carried by thebracket and cooperating with means on the axle housing for preventingrotational movement o! said bracket on said stud and restraining saidbracket against upward movement relative yto said housing.

7. The combination with a tractor including a rear axle housing having astud extending outwardly therefrom in fixed position thereon with `a,nut threaded on the outer end of said stud, o!

means for -detachably connecting an implement to said housing comprisinga bracket having a keyhole slot formed therein whereby said bracket maybe slipped over the nut into position on said stud between said nut andsaid housings tongue y on said bracket engaging in a'notch in saidhousing, said tongue and notch being so spaced on the bracket andhousing that the bracket and housing are interengaged so as to hold thebracket against upward movement relative to said housing when' thesmaller portion of thel keyhole slot is held on said stud. and ashoulder on each side of said notch engaging the side edges of laidtongue for restraining said bracket against sidewise movement relativeto said housing.

8. The combination with'a tractor including a rear axle housing havingtwo pairs of vertically spaced studs extending outwardlytherefrom-atspaced points thereon with nuts threaded on the outer ends of saidstuds, of means for detachably connecting the draft bar of a cultivatingattachment having a hand operated lifting mechanismto said housingcomprising an angie bracket having vertically spaced slots formed in oneflange thereof adapted to cooperate with oneof the pairs of studswhereby said bracket may be slipped over said studs between the housingand the nuts on the studs into a position to be supported on said studs,means on said lflange cooperating with means on the housing forrestraining said bracket against upward movement relative to saidhousing, a pair of adapter brackets, a bolt connecting one of saidbrackets to the other flange ot said angle bracket, means for preventingrotation of said adapter bracket on said bolt, means for connect'ing theother adapter bracket to the housingcomprising a pair of verticallyspaced lugs extending laterally from one side thereof and -having slotsformed therein adapted to cooperate with the second pair of studswhereby said lugs may be slipped over said studs between said housingand the nuts on the studs into a position to support the adapter bracketon said studs, and lift means supported on said angle bracket.

9. The combination with a tractor including an axle housing having twopairs of studs extending outwardly therefrom in iixed position thereonwith nuts threaded on said studs, means serving as a plate having slotstherein adapted to pass over said nuts and be supported on said studs,means for supporting an implement on said plate means, and meansadjacent each end of said plate means for preventing movement of thelatter relative to said axle housing when said nuts are tightened.

10. In a tractor having a rear axle housing, the combination of twopairs of studs on said housing at each .side of the tractor, a pair ofsupporting brackets, one adapted to be detachably mounted on each pairof inner studs and each supporting bracket being slotted to receive thestuds, two pairs of right and left hand adapter brackets, one pairhaving slotted lugs providing for attachment of the brackets to theouter studs at each side of the tractor, the other pair of adapterbrackets having securing means and slotted lugs providing for theoptional attachment of 'said other pair of adapter brackets to saidsupporting brackets, respectively, or to said inner studs in lieu ofsaid supporting brackets, and implement receiving means-on each of saidadapter brackets.,

11. In a tractor having a rear axle housing, the'lcombination of twopairs of studs on said housingat each side of the tractor, a pair ofsupporting brackets, one adapted to be detachably mounted on each pairof inner studs and each supporting bracket being slotted to receive thestuds, two pairs of right and left hand adapter brackets, implementsreceiving means on each adapter bracket, one pair right and left handadapter bracketshaving means for mounting the same on the outer pairs ofstuds, and means for attaching the other pair of right and left handadapter brackets to said supporting brackets, respectively, so that eachofthe associated implement receiving'means is vdisposed to one side ofthe associated inner pair of studs, 'said other pair' of adapterbrackets having laterally disposed slotted lugs arranged soy that wheninterchanged the* adapter brackets may be mounted on the inner studs inlieu of said supporting brackets with the implement receiving means ofsuch adapter brackets disposed in substantially the same positionrelative to the inner studs as they are disposed when the adapterbrackets are secured to the supporting brackets.

12. A bracket for attaching the draft bar of a cultivating unit to therear axle housing of a tractor comprising means for connecting saidbracket to said draft bar, and Ameans including a pair of verticallyspaced lugs extending laterally from oneside ofsaid bracket to providemeans for attaching said bracket to said rear axle housing.

13. A bracket for attaching the draft bar of a cultivating unit to therear axle housing of a tractor comprising means for connecting saidbracket to said draft bar, means including a pair of vertically spacedlugs extending laterally from one side oi' said bracket to provide meansfor attaching said bracket to said rear axle housing, and a bolt carriedby said bracket to provide means for attaching said bracket to a secondbracket.

the draft bar of a cultivating unit to the rear axle housing oi' atractor comprising means lor connecting said bracket .to said draft bar,means including a pair oi' vertically spaced lugs extending laterallyfrom one side oi' said bracket to provide means for attaching saidbracket to said rear axle housing, a second bracket, a bolt carried bysaid ilrst bracket to provide means for attaching said bracket to thesecond bracket, and means on said nrst bracket cooperating with means onsaid second bracket for holding said ilrst bracket against rotativemovement on said bolt.

15. A hitch device for use with Aa tractor having a rear axle housingprovided with two pairs of vertically spaced studs extending outwardlytherefrom at spaced points thereon with nuts threaded on the outer endsot said studs, said hitch device comprising means for detachablyconnecting a part to said housing comprising a bracket having verticallyspaced slots formed thereinadapted to cooperate with one of the pairs o!studs whereby said bracket may be slipped over said studs between thehousing and the nuts on the studs into a position to be supported onsaid studs, means on said bracket cooperating with means on the housingfor restraining said bracket against upward movement relative to saidhousing, a pair of adapter brackets, means connecting one oi' saidladapter brackets to said first bracket, means for preventing rotation ofsaid adapter bracket on said connecting means, means Ator connecting theother adapter bracket to the housing comprising a pair of verticallyspaced lugs extending laterally from one side thereof and having slotsformed therein adapted to cooperate with the second pair of studswhereby said lugs may be slipped over said studs between said housingand the nuts on the studs into a. position to support theadapter'bracket on said studs, and lift means supported on said nrstbracket.

'msoPmLUs BROWN. m Tsman'r w. PAUL

